Rooftop solar has been growing rapidly across the US, but particularly in Nevada, due to favorable geographical (lots of sun) and economic (favorable net metering policies) conditions. Nevada stood out as a particularly bright spot in a recent study of rooftop solar installations, with the number of installations quadrupling in Q2 of 2015. A 2014 state report found that net metering would save the state utilities 36 million dollars, and that Nevada solar users were, if anything, under compensated for the energy they returned to the grid.

The utilities are threatened, but going after solar is shortsighted. Instead of choosing to integrate renewable energy into the grid, Nevada Power and other utilities are choosing a path that makes it more cost effective for consumers to generate their own energy or at least fulfill most of their household energy needs through “behind the meter” resources, increasing costs for everyone on the grid. The utility rates are going up, but solar power and battery systems are getting cheaper.

Renewable energy, and rooftop solar in particular, is putting pressure on utilities. It is absolutely true that rooftop solar threatens the current business model, but the energy business is changing. Fighting against innovation isn’t going to help anyone.